Greater Manchester care home rated ‘inadequate’ by watchdog

A care home, who “mixed up” elderly patients’ medicines, has been placed in special measures.

 

The Care Quality Commission has downgraded Lyndhurst Residential Care Home in Middleton to “inadequate” following a visit in August.

 

Inspectors noted that a care worker said staffing levels were “appalling”.

 

The CQC first ordered the care home to improve in 2019 but inspectors found standards had dropped during their five day visit in August.

 

They “found missing high-risk medicines and the home could not explain where they were.

 

“We found four people had not had their antibiotics given correctly and we found eight people had not had all their medicines as they were out of stock.”

 

Inspectors added that staffing levels were “not safe…  People did not always receive timely support from staff.  We reviewed two days’ worth of call bell wait times and found 51 call bells took over 10 minutes to respond to, and 28 of these took over 20 minutes to respond.”

 

A spokesperson for the care home said new management had recently taken over the care home and that they were “aware of the failing”.

 

The spokesperson added “We are working hard to improve previous poor standards and ensure the excellent care we expect is provided.

 

“Since the report we have greatly improved the service and this will be reflected in the next inspection.

 

“With a dedicated staffing team, and support from families and the local authorities, we can only go from strength to strength.”

 

Chadwick Lawrence’s specialist team of clinical negligence lawyers have years of experience in medical negligence claims, providing support and guidance after life-changing events.  Not only do we represent clients in Yorkshire, but because of our reputation we also represent clients nationally.

 

If you believe that you or a relative may have been injured as a result of clinical/medical negligence, please call for free legal advice from our medical negligence solicitors on the freephone number below.

 

Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (tonymay@chadlaw.co.uk ), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

 

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